1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image composition apparatus, image retrieval method, and a storage medium storing program.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, as disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Pub. No. 2004-134950 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1), a technique of executing image composition by superposing a material image on an image taken by a digital camera or the like is well known in the prior art.
In addition, as disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Pub. No. 11-341522 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2), known is a technique of causing the user to view an image in a three-dimensional manner (as a three-dimensional image), by preparing a pair of left and right images, between which parallax exists, that is, a left-eye image and a right-eye image between which the position of the same object in the image is shifted to left and right, and causing the viewer to view the left-eye image by the left eye and view the right-eye image by the right eye.
In the meantime, even in an image (hereinafter referred to as “three-dimensional image”) which is viewed in a three-dimensional manner by the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, a left-eye image and a right-eye image which form the three-dimensional image are still images which are the same as an image taken by a digital camera or the like. Therefore, it is possible to extract a partial image (hereinafter referred to as “object image”) which corresponds to a part (hereinafter referred to as “object”) recognized as an independent object such as a person from another three-dimensional image, and superpose the extracted partial image on a three-dimensional image. Specifically, a left-eye image of the object image is superposed on a left-eye image which forms a three-dimensional image serving as a background, a right-eye image of the object image is superposed on right-eye image which forms the three-dimensional image serving as a background, and thereby a new three-dimensional image can be obtained.
However, in the case where a three-dimensional image includes a plurality of objects which have different impressions of distance when the three-dimensional image is viewed, when part of the object which is perceived as relatively existing in the front is concealed by another object which is perceived as relatively existing in the rear, the three-dimensional image causes the user to feel something is wrong. Therefore, when any of object images prepared in advance is superposed on a desired position of the three-dimensional image serving as a background, it is necessary to select an object image which is suitable for superposing, in consideration of difference in impression of distance from other objects in the three-dimensional image after image composition.
Therefore, when an object image is selected, for example, it is necessary for the worker to check for each object image whether the object image in the three-dimensional image after image composition causes a feeling that something is wrong or not, by viewing the individual object images and the three-dimensional image serving as a background in a three-dimensional manner. As much time is required for the worker to select an object image this causes the problem of increased worker's labor.